How to Get to Caminito del Rey from Málaga

Option 1: Málaga to Caminito del Rey by Train

For visitors staying in Málaga without a rental car, train + shuttle bus is the main independent alternative to booking an organised tour.

Rail services connect Málaga with El Chorro-Caminito del Rey station.

The important catch is that El Chorro is at the southern end.

You first need to travel from El Chorro to the northern access, normally using the Caminito shuttle.

The train journey works like this

1. Take a train from Málaga to El Chorro.
2. Get off at El Chorro.
3. Take the shuttle towards the northern access.
4. Walk from the shuttle area to the Caminito entrance.
5. Complete Caminito del Rey north to south.
6. Finish back near El Chorro.
7. Walk to the station.
8. Take your return train to Málaga.

The advantage is that the hike naturally brings you back towards the station.

If you would rather not gamble on the shuttle connection, the Caminito del Rey ticket with guided tour, shuttle and water meets at the southern entrance near El Chorro and runs the group up to the northern entrance itself — the same shape as the rail itinerary above, with the shuttle leg pre-booked. It is rated 4.7/5 across 9,139 reviews, from $47.

Don’t Book Your Caminito Ticket Before Checking the Train

Before purchasing a timed ticket, check:

• your Málaga departure time
• arrival at El Chorro
• shuttle timing
• journey to the northern side
• walking time to the entrance
• required early arrival
• your likely finishing time
• return train options

Only then choose your entrance time. Our tickets guide explains how the timed-entry system works and what to do if your preferred slot has gone.

Is There a Direct Bus from Málaga to Caminito del Rey?

Do not confuse:

• public transport from Málaga
• the local Caminito shuttle
• coaches operated by organised tours

If you specifically want a bus leaving Málaga and taking you to the attraction, an organised coach excursion is usually the more straightforward product.

Option 2: Driving from Málaga to Caminito del Rey

If you have a rental car, driving is one of the easiest independent ways to visit.

But remember:

you cannot drive to the actual beginning of the boardwalk.

You still need to park, walk and often use the local shuttle.

Strategy A: Park on the northern side

Drive north, park, walk Caminito, finish at El Chorro, take the shuttle back to your car.

Strategy B: Park on the southern side

Drive to El Chorro, park, take the shuttle north, walk Caminito south and finish close to your car.

The second strategy has one particularly nice advantage: after finishing the hike, you don’t need to travel back just to retrieve your vehicle.

How Early Should You Leave Málaga?

Start with your ticket time and work backwards.

Allow for:

• roughly one hour of driving
• parking
• shuttle travel if applicable
• walking to the entrance
• pre-entry arrival
• a margin for delays

Do not plan the journey tightly.

Is Driving Better Than the Train?

Drive if:

• you already have a rental car
• you’re travelling as a family or group
• you want to stop somewhere else afterwards
• you don’t want your return journey tied to a train timetable

Take the train if:

• you’re staying near central Málaga
• you prefer not to drive
• your ticket time fits the rail schedule
• you’re comfortable planning connections

Option 3: Organised Tour from Málaga

For the simplest overall experience, book a tour that explicitly includes round-trip transportation from Málaga.

Depending on the tour, the package may include:

• pickup or a meeting point in Málaga
• coach/minibus transport
• Caminito del Rey admission
• a guide
• coordination with entrance times
• return to Málaga

The most-booked option from the city is the Caminito del Rey Guided Tour & Welcome Pack from Málaga — coach both ways, timed entry, an official guide, the shuttle between entrances and a welcome pack, rated 4.9/5 across 18,643 reviews, from $63. If you are staying further along the coast rather than in Málaga itself, the From Málaga & Costa del Sol guided tour picks up at points along the Costa del Sol at 4.8/5 from 9,605 reviews, from $62. You can compare every departure on our Caminito del Rey tours page.

Why Pay More for a Tour?

Because a tour is not simply an entrance ticket.

It may bundle:

Málaga transport + admission + guide + logistics + return transport.

Independent travel is usually cheaper.

An organised tour primarily buys convenience. We put the two side by side in our guided vs self-guided comparison.

Who Should Book a Tour?

Consider it if:

• you’re visiting Málaga for only a few days
• you don’t have a rental car
• you don’t enjoy coordinating public transport
• you’re nervous about missing a timed admission
• you’re travelling with family
• the available train schedules don’t fit your ticket

Option 4: Taxi or Private Transfer

A taxi or private driver can work, particularly for groups.

Before booking, make sure you understand:

• where you will be dropped
• where you will be collected
• whether waiting time is included
• whether the driver meets you at El Chorro
• how delays are handled
• the full round-trip price

Priced per vehicle rather than per person, this only makes financial sense with four or more people sharing, and it still leaves the one-way problem for the driver to solve.

What Is the Easiest Way?

For most visitors:

an organised tour with transport included is the easiest.

That does not necessarily make it the best choice.

If you enjoy independent travel, the train and car options are perfectly realistic.

What Is the Cheapest Way?

Usually, independent travel.

For travellers without a car, that generally means:

train + shuttle + admission

For travellers who already have a rental car:

drive + parking + shuttle + admission

Add up all four components before deciding — once fuel, parking and the shuttle are counted, the saving over a coach excursion is smaller than the headline ticket price suggests.

Common Transport Mistakes to Avoid

Arriving at your ticket time

Your ticket time is not the time you should reach the parking area.

Thinking El Chorro station is the entrance

It isn’t. El Chorro is on the southern/exit side.

Forgetting the shuttle

The route is one-way.

Assuming the shuttle is included

Check your specific ticket or tour.

Using an old train timetable

Check the timetable for the date you’re actually travelling.

Booking entrance before transport

For rail travellers in particular, this can create an unnecessary logistical puzzle.

Which Transport Option Would We Choose?

If you’re staying in central Málaga and enjoy independent travel, first check train availability.

If you already have a rental car, drive.

If you’re on a short Málaga city break, have no car and simply want the easiest possible day, compare Caminito del Rey tours with round-trip Málaga transport.

See our Caminito del Rey tickets guide and guided vs self-guided comparison before booking, and check what to wear once your date is fixed.